Olisa Metuh Sues FG Over ‘Illegal’ Detention

Publicity Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has sued the Federal Government (FG), seeking his unconditional release.

The suit was filed on Monday, Jan. 11, on behalf of Metuh by Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, a Lagos-based lawyer.

It was filed in a Lagos Federal High Court and listed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as respondents.

The plaintiff contended that the arrest and perpetual detention of Metuh without access to his family was unlawful.

He argued that by virtue of Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, the EFCC had exceeded the maximum time allowed by law for the detention of a citizen, without trial in any court.

He, therefore, sought the court order declaring that the arrest and detention of Metuh without charge “is a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights’’.

“The arrest of the applicant by the first respondent on Jan. 5 at his home at No.14, Drive 1, Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja, constitutes a flagrant violation of his rights.

“These rights are guaranteed under Sections 35, 38, 40 and 41, 42, 43 and 44of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,’’ he said.

He urged the court to declare that the detention Metuh by the EFCC “in an unknown location, without access to his lawyers, family and doctors, constitutes a flagrant violation of his rights’’.

The lawyer sought the declaration of the court that the respondents were not entitled “to demand for, seize, impound, or detain the applicant’s property and assets in flagrant violation of sections 37, 38, 40 and 41 of the Constitution.’’

He urged the court to grant a restraining injunction against the respondents from further violating the fundamental rights of the applicant through unlawful arrest and detention.

It was gathered that the suit is yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing.